I have had curly hair for as long as I can remember. And when I say curly hair I mean CURLY hair.
I have dealt with it all tangles, twists, frizz, poofiness, and much much more. Maintaining curly hair is a lot, and I mean a LOT, of work so sometimes us curly heads like to straighten our hair because it is much easier to handle or we want a more sleek look.
The only downside to this is how difficult it is to straighten your hair without going about it in an unhealthy way. I have experimented with my hair a lot over the past couple years and I feel like I have gotten down pat the best and healthiest way to get that sleek pin straight look without it falling flat or having pieces curling back up over time, or really anything else that will ruin the look. Here are some of my guidelines to the perfect straight hair!
1. Start off with a shower: The best way to keep the volume is to start with a shower! There are some certain products I recommend using a restorative shampoo and conditioner to keep your hair healthy. I would also recommend using deep conditioning conditioner because when you flat iron your hair you are basically frying it so over time it can become coarse and rough. A way to combat this is to use a deep conditioning conditioner that will have long lasting effects. These conditioners should be for your hair type specifically because no matter what style you are doing they will keep your hair healthy! These are the products I use!
Shampoo and Conditioner:https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/for-the-love-of-hair-omega-3-restorative-caviar-collection/236643?Keyword=for+the+love+of+hair
2. The post-shower products: Another way to keep your hair luscious and smooth is to use deep conditioning leave-in conditioners. These you just comb through your hair, for even distribution, in order to keep that long lasting shine and a smooth texture. I use products targeted for curly hair, but most of them work just as well on straight hair since their main objective is to decrease frizz and increase shine! I recommend using products like these no matter what because who doesn’t want smooth shiny hair all the time!
Moroccan Oil: https://www.moroccanoil.com/us_en/hair-care-moroccanoil-treatment-original-us(the smallest bottle has enough to last a LONG time)
Style Spray: https://www.devacurl.com/set-it-free.html
Leave In Conditioner: https://www.neutrogena.com/haircare/conditioner-and-treatment/triple-moisture-silk-touch-leave-in-cream/6802175.html?cgid=conditioner-and-treatment#start=4
3. PROTECT THAT HAIR: Heat Protectant! Heat Protectant! Heat Protectant! Getting straight hair requires a lot of heat and that heat is very bad for your hair so heat protectant is an absolute must! I use two heat protectants: one before I blow dry my hair and a spray one for when I flat iron my hair. These are probably the two most important hair products I own in regards to styling my hair. Without them, my hair would be a fried mess. They are typically not that expensive and if you do not use heat a lot on your hair a tip is to buy travel sized options they are smaller, easier to store, and hell of lot cheaper! Just like you need sunscreen for your skin you need heat protectant for your hair, so use it!
Pre Blow Dry: https://www.thedrybar.com/hot-toddy-heat-protectant
Pre Flat Iron: https://www.thedrybar.com/hot-toddy-heat-protectant-mist
4. Blow Dry for Volume: A problem many people face when getting straight hair is it falling flat to your face. There is a total lack of volume and that can throw off your whole look. The key to getting volume in my experience is blow drying your hair first. Blow drying also gives your hair body instead of it all falling flat around your face. It also makes straightening a lot easier if your hair is partially straightened already! I use a large round brush which has plastic and boar bristles to not only detangle, but smooth out my hair. I also keep the drier pointed down in order to decrease the amount of frizz! These are some tips to get the best blow dry and I have linked the tutorial I followed when learning how to blow dry my own hair! I also linked the products I always use!
How to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUEEr-ltQLg
Products:
Hair Dryer: https://www.conair.com/c/1a2b14/lightweight-ac-motor-styling-tool/655
Brush and Clips: https://www.amazon.com/Thermal-Ceramic-Bristles-Enhance-Texture/dp/B0725YBN8D/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=round+brush&qid=1551829170&s=gateway&sr=8-5
5. Bring Out the Iron: Once you have finished blow drying your hair it is time to flat iron the rest of those pieces that aren’t straight or the pieces that have curled up due to the round brush. Before flat ironing, use a spray heat protectant so that the iron won’t damage your hair as much as it would if you did not use it! When flat ironing your hair make sure to create sections in order to get every single piece! Voila perfectly straight hair!
6. Bonus Step: Ensure that volume!: After you finish flat ironing and you know every piece is straight you may have lost some volume at the top! In order to keep that volume use your brush to lift up your hair from the roots and use the blow dryer to lift up the hair. You typically would only need to do this at the top and the crown!